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Two-thirds Of The Flues Installed Only nine center rows of thirty-one total rows of flues remain to be installed in this photo. Also visible in this photo are the blow-down pipe connections at the bottom of the boiler (brass plugs are installed in the photo). In the center of the boiler’s flue sheet is a small “B” indicating the flue sheet is the bottom one. The top flue sheet is drilled for a 3/8” pipe connection and thus it is easy to figure out the top and bottom of a boiler by observing which end has the center hole in the flue sheet. Once all of the flues are installed and rolled, each flue is struck with a flaring tool. The flaring tool expands a slight bell-shaped flare on the end of the flue tube making it easier to weld to the flue sheet. After the flues were flared they were all welded using a MIG welder. With the tin wall of the flue, the welding process allowed the end of the flue to be used as the welding rod. Thus the welding process melted the flue wall to the flue sheet as additional welding rod was added. |
